The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo
by Judy Bloom
PARTS (9): Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3 FREDDY DISSEL
MIKE DISSEL MR. DISSEL MRS. DISSEL MISS GUMBER MISS MATSON
TIME REQUIRED: 15 MINUTES
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Narrator 1: FREDDY DISSEL HAD TWO PROBLEMS.
Narrator 2: ONE WAS HIS OLDER BROTHER MIKE.
Narrator 3: THE OTHER WAS HIS YOUNGER SISTER ELLEN.
Narrator 2: FREDDY THOUGHT A LOT AB0UT BEING THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE.
Narrator 1: BUT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT.
Narrator 2: HE FELT LIKE THE PEANUT BUTTER PART OF A SANDWICH, SQUEEZED BETWEEN MIKE AND ELLEN.
Narrator 1: EVERY YEAR MIKE GOT NEW CLOTHES.
Narrator 2: HE GREW TOO BIG FOR HIS OLD ONES.
Narrator 1: BUT MIKE'S OLD CLOTHES WEREN'T TOO BIG FOR FREDDY.
Narrator 2: THEY FIT HIM JUST FINE.
Narrator 1: FREDDY USED TO HAVE A ROOM OF HIS OWN.
Narrator 2: THAT WAS BEFORE ELLEN WAS BORN.
Narrator 1: NOW ELLEN HAD A ROOM OF HER OWN.
Narrator 2: FREDDY MOVED IN WITH MIKE. MR. AND MRS. DISSEL SAID:
MR. & MRS.: "IT'S THE BOY'S ROOM."
Narrator 1: BUT THEY COULDN'T FOOL FREDDY.
Narrator 2: HE KNEW BETTER.
Narrator 1: ONCE FREDDY TRIED TO JOIN MIKE AND HIS FRIENDS.
Narrator 3: MIKE SAID:
MIKE: "SCOOT, KID! YOU'RE IN THE WAY!"
Narrator 1: SO FREDDY TRIED TO PLAY WITH ELLEN.
Narrator 2: ELLEN DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO PLAY HIS WAY.
Narrator 1: SHE MESSED UP ALL OF FREDDY'S THINGS.
Narrator 2: FREDDY G0T MAD AND PINCHED HER.
Narrator 3: ELLEN SCREAMED.
MRS. DISSEL: "FREDDY DISSEL!"
Narrator 3: MOM YELLED.
MRS. DISSEL: "YOU SHOULDN'T BE MEAN TO ELLEN. SHE'S SMALLER THAN YOU. SHE'S JUST A BABY!"
Narrator 1: ELLEN DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A BABY TO FREDDY.
Narrator 2: SHE DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A BABY EITHER.
FREDDY: "SHE EVEN G0ES TO NURSERY SCHOOL."
Narrator 3: FREDDY THOUGHT.
FREDDY: "SOME BABY"
Narrator 1: FREDDY FIGURED THINGS WOULD NEVER GET BETTER FOR HIM.
Narrator 2: HE WOULD ALWAYS 8E A GREAT BIG MIDDLE NOTHING.
Narrator 1: THEN FREDDY DISSEL HEARD ABOUT THE SCHOOL PLAY.
Narrator 3: MIKE HAD NEVER BEEN IN A PLAY. ELLEN HAD NEVER BEEN IN A PLAY.
Narrator 1: THIS WAS HIS CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL.
Narrator 2: FREDDY DECIDED HE WOULD TRY IT.
Narrator 1: HE WAITED TWO WHOLE DAYS BEFORE HE WENT TO HIS TEACHER.
FREDDY: "MISS GUMBER'
Narrator 3: HE SAID.
FREDDY: "I WANT TO BE IN THE SCHOOL PLAY."
Narrator 1: MISS GUMBER SMILED AND SHOOK HER HEAD.
MS. GUMBER: "I'M SORRY, FREDDY."
Narrator 3: SHE SAID.
MS. GUMBER: "THE PLAY IS BEING DONE BY THE FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS... THE BIG BOYS AND GIRLS
LIKE MIKE."
Narrator 1: FREDDY LOOKEO AT THE FLOOR AND MUMBLED:
FREDDY: "THAT FIGURES!"
Narrator 2: HE STARTED TO WALK AWAY.
MS. GUMBER: "WAIT A MINUTE, FREDDY."
Narrator 3: MISS GUMBER CALLED.
MS. GUMBER: "I'LL TALK WITH MISS MATSON ANYWAY. SHE'S IN CHARGE OF THE PLAY. I'LL FIND OUT
IF THEY NEED ANY SECOND GRADERS TO HELP."
Narrator 1: FINALLY, MISS GUMBER TOLD FREDDY THAT MISS MATSON NEEDED SOMEONE TO PLAY A SPECIAL
PART.
Narrator 3: MISS GUMBER SAID:
MS. GUMBER: "GO TO THE AUDITORIUM THIS AFTERNOON. MAYBE YOU'LL GET THE PART."
FREDDY: "OH, BOY!"
Narrator 3: FREDDY HOLLERED.
Narrator 1: LATER, HE WENT TO THE AUDITORIUM.
Narrator 2: MISS MATSON WAS WAITING FOR HIM.
Narrator 1: FREDDY WALKED R1GHT UP CLOSE TO HER.
Narrator 3: HE SAID:
FREDDY: "I WANT TO BE IN THE PLAY."
Narrator 1: MISS MATSON ASKED HIM TO G0 UP ON THE STAGE AND SAY THAT AGAIN IN A VERY LOUD VOICE.
Narrator 2: FREDDY HAD NEVER BEEN ON THE STAGE.
Narrator 1: IT WAS BIG..
Narrator 2: IT MADE HIM FEEL SMALL.
Narrator 1: HE LOOKED OUT AT MISS MATSON.
FREDDY: "I AM F R E D D Y !"
Narrator 3: HE SHOUTED.
FREDDY: "I W A N T T O B E I N T H E P L A Y !"
MS. MATSON: "GOOD."
Narrator 3: MISS MATSON CALLED.
MS. MATSON: "NOW THEN, FREDDY, CAN YOU JUMP?"
FREDDY: "WHAT KIND OF QUESTION WAS THAT?"
Narrator 3: FREDDY WONDERED.
Narrator 2: OF COURSE HE COULD JUMP. HE WAS IN THE SECOND GRADE WASN'T HE?
Narrator 1: SO HE JUMPED. HE JUMPED ALL AROUND THE STAGE.
Narrator 2: BIG JUMPS AND LITTLE JUMPS.
Narrator 1: WHEN HE WAS THROUGH MISS MATSON CLAPPED HER HANDS
Narrator 2: AND FREDDY CLIMBED DOWN FROM THE STAGE.
MS. MATSON: "I THINK YOU'LL DE FINE AS THE GREEN KANGAROO, FREDDY."
Narrator 3: MISS MATSON SAID.
MS. MATSON: "IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART."
Narrator 1: FREDDY DIDN'T TELL ANYONE AT HOME ABOUT THE PLAY UNTIL DINNER TIME.
Narrator 3: THEN FREDDY SAID,
FREDDY: "GUESS WHAT, EVERYONE! GUESS WHAT I'M GOING TO BE!"
Narrator 1: NO ONE PAID ANY ATTENTION TO WHAT FREDDY WAS SAYING. THEY WERE TOO BUSY EATING.
FREDDY: "I'M G0ING TO BE IN A PLAY."
Narrator 3: FREDDY SAID.
FREDDY: "I'M GOING TO BE THE GREEN KANGAROO."
Narrator 1: MIKE CHOKED ON HIS POTATO AND KNOCKED OVER A WHOLE GLASS OF MILK.
Narrator 2: ELLEN LAUGHED BECAUSE MIKE SPILLED HIS MILK.
Narrator 1: MR. DISSEL JUMPED UP.
Narrator 2: HE PATTED MIKE ON THE BACK TO MAKE HIM STOP CHOKING.
Narrator 1: MRS. DISSEL RAN TO GET THE SPONGE.
Narrator 2: SHE CLEANED UP THE SPILLED MILK.
Narrator 1: FREDDY JUST SAT THERE AND SMILED.
MIKE: "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"
Narrator 3: MIKE ASKED.
FREDDY: "I SAID I'M GOING TO BE IN THE SCHOOL PLAY. I SAID I'M GOING TO BE THE GREEN
KANGAROO!"
MIKE: "IT CAN'T BE TRUE."
Narrator 3: MIKE YELLED.
MIKE: "YOU? WHY WOULD THEY PICK YOU?"
Narrator 1: EVERYONE SETTLED DOWN.
Narrator 2: FREDDY TOLD THEM JUST HOW HE GOT THE PART.
FREDDY: "IT'S REALLY TRUE."
Narrator 3: HE SAID.
FREDDY: "JUST ME. ALL BY MYSELF. THE ONLY GREEN KANGAROO IN THE PLAY."
MR. DISSEL: "THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL."
Narrator 3: HIS DAD SAID.
Narrator 1: AND HIS MOM KISSED HIM RIGHT AT THE DINNER TABLE.
MRS. DISSEL: "WE'RE ALL PROUD OF YOU, FREDDY."
Narrator 3: SHE SAID.
Narrator 1: ELLEN WAS EXCITED, TOO. SHE KEPT LAUGHING.
Narrator 2: BUT MIKE JUST SHOOK HIS HEAD AND REPEATED:
MIKE: "WOW! HE'S GOING TO BE THE GREEN KANGAROO!"
Narrator 1: THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WERE BUSY ONES FOR FREDDY. HE HAD TO PRACTICE BEIN6 THE GREEN
KANGAROO A LOT.
Narrator 2: HE PRACTICED AT SCHOOL ON THE STAGE.
Narrator 1: HE PRACTICED AT HOME, TOO.
Narrator 2: HE MADE KANGAROO FACES IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR.
Narrator 1: HE OID KANGAROO JUMPS ON HIS BED.
Narrator 2: HE EVEN DREAMED ABOUT GREEN KANGAROOS AT NIGHT.
Narrator 1: FINALLY, THE DAY OF THE PLAY CAME.
Narrator 2: THE WHOLE FAMILY AND THE NEIGHBORS PLANNED TO BE THERE.
Narrator 1: MRS. DISSEL HUGGED FREDDY EXTRA HARD AS HE LEFT FOR SCHOOL.
MRS. DISSEL: "WE'LL BE THERE WATCHIN6 YOU, GREEN KANGAROO."
Narrator 3: SHE SAID.
Narrator 1: AFTER LUNCH MISS GUMBER CALLED TO FREDDY.
MS. GUMBER: "TIME TO G0 NOW. TIME TO GET INTO YOUR COSTUME."
Narrator 1: MISS GUMBER WALKED TO THE HALL WITH FREDDY.
Narrator 3: THEN SHE WHISPERED:
MS. GUMBER: "WE'LL BE IN THE SECONO ROW. G00D LUCK!'
Narrator 1: FREDDY WENT TO MISS MATSON'S ROOM.
Narrator 2: THE GIRLS IN THE SIXTH GRADE HAD MADE HIS COSTUME.
Narrator 1: THEY ALL GIGGLED WHEN MISS HATSON HELPED FREDDY INTO IT.
Narrator 2: HIS GREEN KANGAROO SUIT COVERED ALL OF HIM.
Narrator 1: IT EVEN HAD GREEN FEET.
Narrator 2: ONLY HIS FACE STUCK OUT.
Narrator 1: MISS MATSON PUT SOME GREEN DOTS ON IT.
Narrator 2: MISS MATSON LAUGHED.
MS. MATSON: "WE'LL WASH THE DOTS OFF LATER. OK?"
FREDDY: "OKAY.'
Narrator 3: FREDDY MUMBLED.
Narrator 1: HE JUMPED OVER TO THE MIRROR.
Narrator 2: HE LOOKED AT HIMSELF.
Narrator 1: HE REALLY FELT LIKE A GREEN KANGAROO.
Narrator 2: IT WAS TIME FOR THE PLAY TO BEGIN.
Narrator 1: FREDDY WAITED BACKSTAGE WITH THE FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS WHO WERE IN THE PLAY.
Narrator 2: THEY LOOKED AT HIM AND GIGGLED.
Narrator 1: HE TRIED TO SMILE BACK.
Narrator 2: BUT THE SMlLE WOULDN'T COME.
Narrator 1: HIS HEART STARTED TO BEAT FASTER.
Narrator 2: HIS STOMACH BOUNCED UP AND DOWN.
Narrator 1: HE FELT FUNNY.
Narrator 2: THEN MISS MATSON LEANED CLOSE TO HIM.
Narrator 3: SHE SAID:
MS. MATSON: "THEY'RE WAITING FOR YOU, FREDDY. GO AHEAD."
Narrator 1: HE JUMPED OUT ONTO THE STAGE.
Narrator 2: HE LOOKED OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE.
Narrator 1: ALL THOSE PEOPLE WERE DOWN THERE---SOMEWHERE.
Narrator 2: HE KNEW THEY WERE.
Narrator 1: IT WAS VERY QUIET.
Narrator 2: HE COULD HEAR HIS HEART.
Narrator 1: HE THOUGHT HE SAW HIS MOM AND DAD.
Narrator 2: HE THOUGHT HE SAW ELLEN.
Narrator 1: HE THOUGHT HE SAW MIKE AND HIS SECOND GRADE CLASS AND MISS GUMBER AND ALL OF THE
NEIGHBORS, TOO.
Narrator 2: THEY WERE ALL OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.
Narrator 1: THEY WERE ALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AUDIENCE.
Narrator 2: PUT FREDDY WASN'T IN THE MIDDLE.
Narrator 1: HE WAS ALL BY HIMSELF UP ON THE STAGE.
Narrator 2: HE HAD A JOB TO DO.
Narrator 1: HE HAD TO BE THE GREEN KANGAROO.
Narrator 2: FREDDY SMILED.
Narrator 1: HIS HEART SLOWED DOWN.
Narrator 2: HIS STOMACH STAYED STILL.
Narrator 1: HE FELT BETTER.
Narrator 3: HE SMILED A BIGGER, WIDER SMILE.
Narrator 1: HE FELT GOOD.
FREDDY: "H E L L O E V E R Y O N E !"
Narrator 3: FREDDY SAID.
FREDDY: "I A M T H E G R E E N K A N G A R O O. W E L C O M E!"
Narrator 1: THE PLAY BEGAN.
Narrator 2: FREDDY DID HIS LITTLE JUMPS.
Narrator 1: EVERY NOW AND THEN ONE OF THE FIFTH OR SIXTH GRADERS IN THE PLAY SAID TO HIM:
Narrator 2: AND WHO ARE YOU?"
FREDDY: "ME? I A M T H E G R E E N K A N G A R O O!
Narrator 3: IT WAS EASY.
Narrator 1: THAT WAS ALL HE HAD TO SAY.
Narrator 2: IT WAS FUN, TOO.
Narrator 1: EVERY TIME HE SAID IT, THE AUDIENCE LAUGHED.
Narrator 3: FREDDY LIKED IT WHEN THEY LAUGHED.
Narrator 1: IT WAS A FUNNY PLAY.
Narrator 2: WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER EVERYONE ON THE STAGE TOOK A BOW.
Narrator 1: THEN MISS MATSON CAME OUT AND WAITED FOR THE AUDIENCE TO GET QUIET.
Narrator 3: SHE SAID:
MS. MATSON: A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SECOND GRADER FREDDY DISSEL. HE PLAYED THE PART OF THE
GREEN KANGAROO.
Narrator 1: FREDDY JUMPED OVER TO THE MIDDLE OF THE STAGE.
Narrator 2: HE TOOK A BIG BOW ALL BY HIMSELF.
Narrator 3: THE AUDIENCE CLAPPED HARD FOR A LONG TIME.
Narrator 2: FREDDY DIDN'T CARE MUCH ABOUT WEARING MIKE'S CLOTHES ANYMORE.
Narrator 1: HE DIDN'T CARE MUCH ABOUT SHARING MIKE'S ROOM EITHER.
Narrator 2: HE DIDN'T CARE MUCH THAT ELLEN WAS SMALL AND CUTE.
Narrator 3: HE DIDN'T EVEN CARE MUCH ABOUT BEING THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE.
Narrator 1: HE FELT JUST GREAT BEING FREDDY DISSEL.